Emily Agan・Squarespace Website Designer

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Best Stock Photos For Wellness Businesses (+ Tips for How to Use Them!)

Are you a wellness entrepreneur trying to elevate your brand? Update your website? Start blogging regularly? Whatever your motive for seeking out the best stock photos for wellness businesses, you’re in the right place! High-quality images can make or break your online presence. In this post, I’ll walk you through my FAVORITE stock photo tips to help your wellness business look sharp. From incorporating brand photos to making the most of free and paid stock images, I’ve got you covered!

Ready to give your website a visual upgrade? Let's get started!

Why High-Quality Images Matter for Your Website

First impressions are everything, especially in the wellness industry, because let’s face it - this industry is SATURATED. Your website should instantly both stand out AND evoke a sense of trustworthiness. High-quality images play a key role in setting this tone and conveying your brand’s message the way you want it too. They grab attention faster than text and great images also keep them engaged—much like walking into a beautifully designed shop instead of an outdated one (regardless of how good the products are!).

Not to sound too stuffy, but clear, professional photos build trust and credibility, making your brand appear polished and reliable. Moreover, good visuals make your site more enjoyable to explore, break up text, highlight key points, and make content easier to digest.

TL;DR: In a wellness business, where aesthetics are paramount, high-quality images are a non-negotiable.

Brand Photos First, Stock Photos Second

Before I share the best stock photos for wellness businesses, I also want to say that if possible, always opt for brand photos too. These are images specifically taken to represent your brand (and they don’t all have to have your face in them, but some should!). No stock photo will ever be able to capture your unique vibe and connect with your audience on a personal level like brand photos will. Especially if your target market is Gen Z- who value authenticity above almost anything else.

Jumping off my soap box now - sometimes, budget constraints or time limitations make brand photos impossible. That’s where stock photos come in handy. They can fill gaps and complement your brand photos without breaking the bank. My advice to you would be that when using stock photos, make sure they align with your brand’s look and feel. Consistency is key to maintaining a cohesive visual identity.

Best Free Stock Photos Websites

Finding the perfect stock photo can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Here are 2 of the best stock photos for wellness businesses (partly due to their LARGE catalog of options)

Pexels

Pexels offers a wide range of high-quality photos for free. Their library is extensive with stock photo AND video options, and you’re likely to find something that will fit your brand’s aesthetic. Plus, they regularly update their collection, so there’s always something new every time I search.

Unsplash

Similarly, Unsplash is another fantastic resource for free stock photos. Known for its beautiful, high-resolution images, Unsplash is a go-to for many wellness entrepreneurs. Whether you need serene landscapes or vibrant lifestyle shots, Unsplash has a ton of options for you!

Squarespace users take note: while Squarespace offers a built-in photo library from Unsplash, it’s still a good idea to head directly to Unsplash to search because you’ll need to download, compress, and relabel images before uploading them to your site (more on that below!).

Paid Options

Lastly, if you’re willing to invest in premium stock images for your business, sites like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock offer extensive libraries. The quality and variety can be worth the investment, especially if you need specific, niche images.

Choosing Photos with Consistent Editing Style

Let me share a few more tips when it comes to using the best stock photos for wellness businesses (before I share what you need to know when it comes to SEO!).

First, keeping your website looking sharp and cohesive is super important, and one of the best ways to do that is by using photos with a similar editing style. When all your images share the same color tones, brightness, and contrast, it makes everything look seamless and professional, rather than a random mishmash of styles.

A great tip is to stick to one photographer. Since photographers usually have a consistent editing style, it’ll be much easier to keep your website looking uniform. But if you can't get all your photos from one person, don’t sweat it! You can use photo editing tools to tweak the color balance, brightness, and contrast to match your brand’s vibe.

Another biggie is sticking to a consistent color palette. Colors play a huge role in branding—they evoke emotions and shape how people see your business. By making sure your photos match your brand’s colors, you create a polished, professional look. So when you’re picking stock photos, try to find ones that match your brand’s colors. It really helps to make everything look cohesive.

And if you find an awesome photo that doesn’t quite fit your color scheme, just use tools like Adobe Lightroom to adjust the hue, saturation, and brightness. This way, every image on your site will look like it belongs there, supporting that smooth, cohesive look you’re going for.

Compress and Relabel Images for SEO

Once you’ve chosen your images, you have two quick steps left before you can add them to your website. I know it might feel unnecessary, but optimizing your images for search engines can improve your website’s performance and visibility.

Compress Your Images

Large image files can slow down your website, leading to a poor user experience. Compressing images reduces their file size without compromising quality, speeding up your load times.

Relabel Your Images

Use descriptive filenames and alt text for your images. This helps search engines understand what the image is about, improving your SEO. For example, instead of "IMG1234.jpg," use "calming-yoga-session.jpg." This literally takes seconds, but makes a big difference overtime!

Wellness Stock Photo Tips

High-quality images are essential for any wellness business. They capture attention, build trust, and enhance the user experience. Always prioritize brand photos, but don’t shy away from using stock photos when needed. By incorporating these stock photo tips, you'll be well on your way to creating a visually appealing and cohesive website for your wellness business.

Ready to elevate your visual game? Start exploring, and don’t hesitate to book a discovery call with me for personalized advice on making your wellness business shine. Want me to take over? Click here to learn more about how we can work together!


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